Calgary's commitment to anti-racism
Calgary's Commitment to Anti-Racism
The City of Calgary is committed to actively dismantling systemic racism, the root causes of racial inequities and injustices in municipal programs and services.
Calgarians, including City employees, have told us that systemic racism across various institutions such as public safety and policing, development planning and transportation impacts them. The City of Calgary is committed to listening to these lived and living experiences and has established an Anti-Racism Program in response to the concerns. For more information on The City’s anti-racism work, contact arinfo@calgary.ca.
What we have heard
In 2020, a three-day hearing was held with City Council where people from across Calgary shared their stories of racism and racial discrimination. From 2021 to 2022, over 2,700 people took part in community engagement, where they indicated that racism and discrimination are widespread and perpetuated through various systems and policies.
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In the City’s 2021 Street Harassment Survey of 500 people, 64 percent of Racialized Peoples indicated that they have experienced unwanted comments about their ethnicity or race.
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In a 2021 Cultural Assessment Survey of 3000 City employees, 54 percent of diverse Racialized employees indicated that have experienced or witnessed racism in the workplace.
Supporting anti-racism in the community
Do you have an idea or program that supports anti-racism in your community? We offer funding for projects that aim to eliminate racism and discrimination, build understanding and create opportunities for Indigenous, Black and diverse Racialized people.
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Capacity Building Fund
The Capacity Building Fund is available to eligible non-profit organizations for one-time projects that enhance social impact and address emerging issues by strengthening organizational effectiveness. The fund supports projects that integrate anti-racist and equitable practices into capacity building efforts.
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Neighbourhood Grants
Neighbourhood Grants turn local ideas into tangible actions. The City offers grants of up to $1,000 for projects that increase social inclusion, economic participation, anti-racism, or foster Truth and Reconciliation in the eligible neighbourhoods around the city.
Key Milestones
The City of Calgary has been working on becoming an anti-racist organization for several years. The process kicked off with a call to action from Calgarians and has reached some key milestones along this journey.
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October 2024 Anti-Racism 101 employee training launched
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In working toward becoming an anti-racist organization, one of the key areas of focus for City employees is learning about systemic racism and racial discrimination. In October 2024, we launched the Anti-Racism 101 online training for employees.
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March 2024 Dismantling Systemic Racism, Transforming Lives conference held
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The City of Calgary’s Anti-Racism Program hosted its first ever Racial Justice Conference from March 18-19, 2024. It provided attendees with opportunities to develop and apply anti-racism knowledge, skills and practices through speaker presentations, workshops and more.
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May 2023 The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan launched
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Dismantling Systemic Racism, Transforming Lives: The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan 2023-2027 outlines focus areas and strategic actions for addressing systemic racism.
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March 2022 United Against Racism: Hearing the Voice of Youth
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The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Program Team empowered Indigenous and Racialized youth to share their vision and recommendations of an anti-racist Calgary.
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March 2021 Anti-Racism Program established
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The Anti-Racism Program was established to address systemic inequities and to ensure that the lived and living experiences of Indigenous, Black and diverse Racialized communities are reflected in City programs and services.
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October 2020 Anti-Racism Action Committee established
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The Anti-Racism Action Committee (ARAC) was formed in 2020 to help support the learning, action, and need to combat systemic racism in Calgary. They advise Council and provide leadership on developing and implementing a community-based anti-racism strategy
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July 2020 Public hearing on systemic racism
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A three-day special meeting was held on July 7, 2020 by the Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services on Calgary’s commitment to anti-racism. It included a panel of experts and a public hearing on systemic racism.
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June 2020 Notice of Motion
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In the Notice of Motion Calgary’s commitment to anti-racism Council directed The City of Calgary to begin consultation on systemic racism, establish an Anti-Racism Action Committee to develop and implement a community-based anti-racism strategy, and a number of other initiatives.
2024 Racial Justice Conference
In March 2024, the City of Calgary hosted its inaugural Racial Justice Conference. This two-day conference brought together over 1,000 people and provided an opportunity for participants to engage in critical conversations and deepen the understanding of systemic racism and its impact on Indigenous, Black and diverse Racialized Peoples. With over 90 diverse speakers and 32 breakout sessions, the conference provided the attendees with the knowledge and skills to go beyond dialogue but towards actionable anti-racist actions that centers the lived and living experiences of Indigenous, Black, and diverse Racialized Peoples.
The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan
Dismantling Systemic Racism, Transforming Lives: The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan 2023-2027 outlines focus areas and strategic actions for addressing systemic racism.
The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Framework 2023–2027 is available in the following languages:
Arabic | Blackfoot | Chinese-Simplified | Chinese-Traditional | Cree | Farsi | French-Ca | Oromo | Pashto | Punjabi |
Tigrinya | Vietnamese
Anti-Racism Action Committee
The Anti-Racism Action Committee is responsible for the development and implementation of a community-based anti-racism strategy that achieves the goals outlined in the Notice of Motion.
Learn more
Council updates
On June 15, 2020, a Notice of Motion was passed titled Calgary’s commitment to anti-racism directing work to begin in a number of areas.
Learn more
Anti-racism resources
The City of Calgary Anti-Racism team encourages mutual understanding and respect through learning from one another. We’re often reminded of why this work is important and how we need to think about how we can do better.
In the spirit of continuous learning and shared understanding, here are some resources we recommend.
Learn moreDocuments for download
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The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan 2023–2027
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Community Anti-Racism Action Strategy
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The City of Calgary Organizational Anti-Racism Action Strategy